Oury Jalloh burned to death in a police cell in Dessau, east Germany, on the 7th of January, 2005. Two years have now gone by; two years in which the court in Dessau has effectively blocked any hearings from taking place against the responsible police officers. This alone is evidence enough that neither the police nor the judiciary is willing to see that the events surrounding the death of Oury Jalloh are clarified.
Six months ago, Dominique Kouamadio was shot and killed by the police in Dortmund.
Laye-Alama Condé and John Achidi died two and five years ago respectively after the police forced emetics down their throats.
Amir Ageeb and Kola Bankole were killed in the process of deportation.
Four years ago, N'deye Mareame Sarr was shot and killed by the police in the house of her ex-husband.
In all of these cases, to name just a few, all charges were dropped against the police and nobody was ever brought to justice for these crimes. Non-whites and people of foreign origin are threatened with death by the institutions and their functionaries as much as they are by racists on the streets.
Friday, the 7th of January, 2005. The 22 year-old Oury Jalloh from Sierra Leone burns to death in the light of day in a police station.
The judiciary claims that he set himself on fire with a lighter which must have been overlooked during the body search.
But everything leads to another conclusion: Oury Jalloh was tied down at his hands and feet to a fireproof mattress located on top of a concrete base in a jail cell tiled from floor to ceiling.
The supervising police at the time ignored the fire alarm for quite some time.
Oury Jalloh burned to death. An expert's report confirms: If the police had reacted immediately they could have saved his life.
The State Prosecutor brings up charges against two police officers.
For almost two years the court in Dessau has been looking for reasons not to open up hearings. Still today, it is uncertain if there will ever be a trial.
Moreover, the court has recently declared there will be absolutely no trial against one of the police officers and in the case of the other accused the court has demanded--once again---further investigations.
Two years later and there has still been no apology neither from the police nor from the other responsible authorities.
Additionally, no reparations have been made to Oury's family. Instead, a good friend of Oury, the person who has been most engaged in seeking out justice in this case, has been persecuted and approximately ten activists of the Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh have been accused of diverse "crimes."
For two years now diverse refugee, migrant and anti-racist groups have joined together to break the silence and to demand truth, justice and reparations for the murder of Oury Jalloh.
In this same time, the only response we have received from the authorities is cover-up, impunity for the perpetrators and the criminalisation of our protest.
We are not going to give up our struggle. No repression, cover-up or impunity can stop us from standing up and raising our voice against the systematic injustice to which we are subjected on a daily basis.
And if the authorities think they have the right to speak of suicide---even though all facts clearly point otherwise---then we will continue to make our position very clear: *OURY JALLOH WAS MURDERED! *
*WE ARE ALL OURY JALLOH *
*MOBILISE YOURSELF!*
On the 6th of January, 2007, African and Black Community activists are coming together for an Africa Conference, which will take place in Dessau against racist police violence and criminalisation. The victims of this institutionalised violence will be remembered and honored.
We call on all people of solidarity to support and join us in this conference on the 6th of January, and to actively mobilise and participate in one of the demonstrations to be held on the 7th of January in Berlin and Dessau.
On this day, we will remember and honor all people who are being murdered on a daily basis by racism and capitalism.
Not only within and at the doorsteps of Fortress Europe, but also all those who have been and continue to be systematically murdered through centuries of colonialism, the selling of weapons and the support of dictatorships worldwide.
If you are not capable of coming to Dessau or Berlin to participate in the activities, organize an event in your city!
*BREAK THE SILENCE!*
*STOP POLICE TERROR AGAINST REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS!*
Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh in Berlin and Dessau
_
http://oury-jalloh.so36.net_
mail: initiative-ouryjalloh (at) so36.net
Laye-Alama Condé and John Achidi died two and five years ago respectively after the police forced emetics down their throats.
Amir Ageeb and Kola Bankole were killed in the process of deportation.
Four years ago, N'deye Mareame Sarr was shot and killed by the police in the house of her ex-husband.
In all of these cases, to name just a few, all charges were dropped against the police and nobody was ever brought to justice for these crimes. Non-whites and people of foreign origin are threatened with death by the institutions and their functionaries as much as they are by racists on the streets.
Friday, the 7th of January, 2005. The 22 year-old Oury Jalloh from Sierra Leone burns to death in the light of day in a police station.
The judiciary claims that he set himself on fire with a lighter which must have been overlooked during the body search.
But everything leads to another conclusion: Oury Jalloh was tied down at his hands and feet to a fireproof mattress located on top of a concrete base in a jail cell tiled from floor to ceiling.
The supervising police at the time ignored the fire alarm for quite some time.
Oury Jalloh burned to death. An expert's report confirms: If the police had reacted immediately they could have saved his life.
The State Prosecutor brings up charges against two police officers.
For almost two years the court in Dessau has been looking for reasons not to open up hearings. Still today, it is uncertain if there will ever be a trial.
Moreover, the court has recently declared there will be absolutely no trial against one of the police officers and in the case of the other accused the court has demanded--once again---further investigations.
Two years later and there has still been no apology neither from the police nor from the other responsible authorities.
Additionally, no reparations have been made to Oury's family. Instead, a good friend of Oury, the person who has been most engaged in seeking out justice in this case, has been persecuted and approximately ten activists of the Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh have been accused of diverse "crimes."
For two years now diverse refugee, migrant and anti-racist groups have joined together to break the silence and to demand truth, justice and reparations for the murder of Oury Jalloh.
In this same time, the only response we have received from the authorities is cover-up, impunity for the perpetrators and the criminalisation of our protest.
We are not going to give up our struggle. No repression, cover-up or impunity can stop us from standing up and raising our voice against the systematic injustice to which we are subjected on a daily basis.
And if the authorities think they have the right to speak of suicide---even though all facts clearly point otherwise---then we will continue to make our position very clear: *OURY JALLOH WAS MURDERED! *
*WE ARE ALL OURY JALLOH *
*MOBILISE YOURSELF!*
On the 6th of January, 2007, African and Black Community activists are coming together for an Africa Conference, which will take place in Dessau against racist police violence and criminalisation. The victims of this institutionalised violence will be remembered and honored.
We call on all people of solidarity to support and join us in this conference on the 6th of January, and to actively mobilise and participate in one of the demonstrations to be held on the 7th of January in Berlin and Dessau.
On this day, we will remember and honor all people who are being murdered on a daily basis by racism and capitalism.
Not only within and at the doorsteps of Fortress Europe, but also all those who have been and continue to be systematically murdered through centuries of colonialism, the selling of weapons and the support of dictatorships worldwide.
If you are not capable of coming to Dessau or Berlin to participate in the activities, organize an event in your city!
*BREAK THE SILENCE!*
*STOP POLICE TERROR AGAINST REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS!*
Initiative in Memory of Oury Jalloh in Berlin and Dessau
_
http://oury-jalloh.so36.net_ mail: initiative-ouryjalloh (at) so36.net
